Bender of the Force
by karlanemperor
Summary: Anakin Solo near death is transported to a new land, where people master the Element. He must now find a new reason to live and to exist when all is lost. Pairings are undecided, but it will probably be either Anakin/Toph or Anakin/Ty Lee
1. Chapter 1

The Yuuzhan Vong surrounded him, and more kept coming every time, but he felt light, light and graceful

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction. All of it belongs to Nickelodeon and George Lucas respectively.

**Bender of the Force**

**Prologue**

The Yuuzhan Vong surrounded him, and more kept coming every time, but he felt light, light and graceful. The Amphistaffs of his attackers barely scratched him, but he felt no pain, and every time he was hit he felt more and more what at first wasn't there, and he could also feel much more than he was once able to.

He felt his brother as he pursued the dreaded beast that had been hunting him and his fellow Jedi to extinction. He felt his sister as she ran to him and watched as he was assaulted by yet more enemies, and at her side he felt the person that he felt the most for. She was watching as well and he could feel her pain, and was his only regret yet he felt right, everything felt right to him.

He stretched his new found senses as far as he could and felt his parents as they fought for their lives, their sadness and their pain at sending their children on this seemingly suicidal mission. He felt his uncle as he too struggled against the darkness that became clearer and clearer every time he killed his enemies, and at the same time moved through time.

He saw his mother as she watched her planet be destroyed in front of her very eyes. He saw master Yoda as he fought against the Emperor and felt as the Jedi where being killed slowly all over the galaxy. He saw a young Anakin as he met a robed man, who befriended him and offered to save him. He saw the history of the whole galaxy, all that was and all that would be, and he saw much much more, places that he could not describe, terrible pain in some of them, great loss in others, hope in many and struggle in all.

The more he fought the clearer they all got, all of them came to him, but he was confused or even overwhelmed it was all natural all was as it was meant to be and as he finally understood what he was really meant for all of it became darkness, it threatened to engulf him, threatened to devour him, but just as it seemed to win he fought back, he saw a vision for a few seconds, a vision of great tragedy and great pain, but also of great hope and a choice for the future, and he followed his vision and left the darkness, and fell for what felt like an eternity.

He fell until he hit ground on a strange place. For a few seconds Anakin Solo saw a great plain, but just as fast as he had seen the light Anakin fell once again into darkness.

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In the distance Iroh sees a light for a brief moment and begins to wonder what it means even as he walks with his nephew. "Did you see the light over the mountain Zuko?" asks Iroh catching the attention of the shamed prince.

For a brief moment Zuko does not respond, being too absorbed in his own thoughts to realize that his uncle is speaking to him.

Iroh once more grumbles as to why his nephew cannot let go of his past and embrace his future. But he is saved the trouble of thinking it over when Zuko answers.

"Sorry Uncle, you where saying?" says Zuko in a calmed tone of voice, a more and more common trait on him in as the day go by.

"I asked if you had seen the light over by the mountains?" asked Iroh once again wondering what the prince was thinking to be so calmed, when normally he would be much more confrontational.

For a moment Zuko looks over at the mountains that Iroh had pointed to and tries to remember. Yet he is unable to remember the event that his Uncle was talking about "Maybe it was just someone setting up a fire Uncle, no reason for us to worry" says Zuko, with a condescending tone as he considers such events beneath him.

"We should investigate though, maybe we will find something good to eat" say Iroh, and water begins to drool from his mouth as he wonders what he may find.

Annoyed Zuko lashes out at his Uncle. "All you think about is food, nothing else. Have you seen how we are, we have nothing, food is not going to magically materialize out of thin air, much less from a beam of light"

Iroh looks at Zuko with tears in his eyes, and Zuko begins to mumble with irritation "Fine!, we'll check it out, but you will see that we won't find anything" finished Zuko and irately began to walk towards the place Iroh had mentioned.

After several minutes of walking and climbing they got to the plateau, where Iroh had seen the light, and what they saw astonished them. There on the plateau a young man in a dark cloak lay dormant, with hundreds of small cuts and a weird metal tube in his hand.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction. All of it belongs to Nickelodeon and George Lucas respectively.

**Notes: **For those of you who have never read a SW book, I will inform you that this is Anakin Solo, the son of Leia and Han in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The death scene described in the beginning of the last chapter is an intentional variation of the real death scene that is portrayed in the Star by Star book of the New Jedi Order.

Anyways, on with the story

**Bender of the Force**

**Visions and Awakenings**

Anakin was in darkness, he could only see darkness around him, there was nothing but the darkness "_I must be dead_" though Anakin as he struggled within the darkness that surrounded him. He struggled for what felt like an eternity, he struggled with all his might thrashing and lashing at the all encompassing darkness that seemed to consume him.

As he struggled he remembered Tahiri, Jaina, Jacen and the whole Jedi commando group that had infiltrated the Yuuzhan Vong worldship in orbit over Myrkr. He wondered about their fates, wondered what had happened to him as the force engulfed him, as everything became crystal clear, he yearned to feel like that again, to feel everything and know of all that was, if only to escape this darkness that surrounded him.

Again he struggled against the darkness, but it refused to yield, and frustrated he egan to yell. "_Where am I? What must I do? Damn it, answer me!!_" but the darkness refused to yield and he began to despair.

"_No, I am a Jedi, I must not give into despair, it is a path to the Dark Side_" he thought, and began to meditate. Anakin focused himself, closing his eyes and centering on himself recalling all his Jedi training and trying to reach to the force. For a time, an eternity or an instant Anakin couldn't tell nothing happened, he focused even more, trying to get any feeling of the force and in an second light shone, light far brighter than he had ever imagined seeped forth in his mind.

Anakin focused on this light, it shone bright and it was hard for Anakin to see, he could hardly stand it, yet he move ever forward to where he perceived the center to be. As he got closer he began to distinguish a form, a shape, the shape of a young boy. Anakin wondered who this boy might be to shine so bright, and realized that he didn't remember ever meeting anyone like that, and yet the presence felt weirdly familiar.

Anakin kept on moving towards the boy, and as he got closer more details became clear despite the light, blue arrow shaped tattoos on his wrist and on his bald head, he was floating in a seated position with his fist punched together and his eyes shining.

When he could almost touch the boy, he disappeared and the darkness returned, yet now he did not feel it encroaching him, and he now perceived far more. He looked at every place and though there was darkness yet again, there was also something else, life, life and energy like he had never truly felt before, a place full of the force, yet it felt different, fragmented somehow.

In his meditation he began to wander the darkness once more and he continued to feel this world with a fragmented force, looking for the light he had seen. Again for a long time he did not find anything, until a brief flash of light caught his attention.

He saw the flash of light and moved with all his speed towards the source. Quickly he reached the source, only to see it dwindle and die, and in its stead four flames shone, one blue, one red, one green and one white one, the last one being bigger. At its side shone a small blue flame and though there was no flame, he could feel there was one more presence where a light should have been.

The flames moved and wandered, and other flames of different colors gathered near these and as they moved they grew bigger, but always there where individually colored flames, never where there multiple colored flames, like the once he was following. At times the four flames joined and the light shone again and then as fast as it had appeared it disappeared and fragmented itself into four distinct flames.

He saw how thousands of multi-colored flames mingled together and how they where all snuffed out, sometimes individually or sometimes many at a time, and in one occasion all blue flames where extinguished, only to return once more. Anakin followed this play of multi-colored flames as it moved from place to place in what could only be described as a beautiful dance and he observed and he basked in the light he was watching.

Anakin also noticed that there was a red flame that had followed the one with multiple colored flames, and that they clashed on many occasions, until the time where the blue flames where extinguished, and then these two parted ways.

The flames continued their dance and new flames appeared, one was like a raging inferno of blue flames intermingled with red, an oddity Anakin thought at the beginning, but as he observed it he also felt something else, darkness, darkness like he had only felt in the places where the dark side dwelled, it was filled with purpose, greed and determination and it came into contact with the other flames that he had been following, always clashing with them, and then he found that two of the red flames where at his side and for a time they did not move.

Suddenly the bright light that he had seen at the beginning shone once more, but now it felt different, near yet distant. This felt different, not like the others that had began to feel oddly familiar and known, like a memory even, no this new light felt within his grasp, yet he could not reach it and it always moved, always one step ahead of him.

As Anakin followed the new light which he could never catch he saw all the flames once more moving, and he saw a vision. The young man he had met when he first saw the light fighting against the red/blue flame, with a blue, a red and a green flame at his side, yet what he felt the most was the green flame.

The bright light came closer and he ran towards it, yet he felt that once again he could not reach it, and no matter how hard he struggled he could never reach the light, and felt that he was moving back instead of forward. As he moved back he saw the green flame, seated with one of the red flames he had come to know, and a realization came to him.

But before he could truly grasp this realization he fell. Anakin fell and he felt that something was going to happen, something that would be important for him when he reached the bottom.

And hit bottom he did, but instead of hitting hard as he believed, he actually felt as if he passed through water and he closed his eyes once more and darkness came to him once more.

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Anakin's eyes struggled to open, they fluttered, yet refused to truly open and through the fluttering light came, red light. Anakin struggled more, but the more he struggled the more pain he began to feel, he felt his body in flames and his head splitting open, he began to shake.

Anakin could not stop the shaking and his eyes refused to focus, his head seemed to tear itself in pieces and his ears where numb, he could hear nothing and he felt very little. Through his struggling he thought he saw two figures, figures of flame that seemed to be filled with fire moving over him and tried to stop him from struggling.

Though the figures seemed to be made of fire, he did not feel the pain of being burned, he felt the warmth of the hands trying to stop him, but he did not feel burnt.

Eventually he calmed down and he gasped for air, it felt like had never had any air in him as he tried to catch his breath which came short, but the pain he had been feeling earlier began to diminish and eventually he felt normal, with only the earth beneath him and the two figures of fire over him.

For a time Anakin looked from one figure to another, amazed at what he saw, but it lasted only a second. Anakin blinked and the figures of fire where gone. He blinked again, but there where no more figures of fire, in their place where a young man with black hair and a scar on the left side of his face and an old man with a long beard and a large belly. Anakin looked from one figure to another, puzzled with what he saw.

Anakin tried to speak, but no words would come out from his mouth. He struggled some more, but it was impossible, only then did he realize that his throat felt like a desert with no water in it.

The old man returned with what appeared to be a cup and put it close to his throat and he felt the liquid, cold and delicious water. Anakin tried to drink it as fast as he could, but as soon as it went down his throat he spit it out. The old man spoke, but he could not understand the old man, yet he felt what he was trying to say "not so fast young man, drink it slower, you'll get used to it soon", and Anakin did as he felt the old man had said.

As his throat felt water once more he began to speak, but as he spoke he saw confusion on the faces of the old man and the teen. Anakin repeated himself, but again there was only confusion. "_Great, a new planet in who know where and no one speaks basic_" thought Anakin, but at once calmed himself down and focused on their minds.

Anakin closed his eyes and focused on the teen and the old man, using the force he gazed through their minds, looking for a way to communicate with them.

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Iroh and Zuko had moved the body of the young man down to a nearby river, there they had set up camp and tended to the young man that they had found as best they could. Yet the young man had many cuts all over his body and mending his injuries had been hard, yet Iroh had once again shown to possess unknown skills.

For three days Iroh and Zuko had watched as the young man struggled with a serious fever, and Iroh much doubted that the young man would survive, but they kept watch over him still.

During those three days Iroh had been teaching Zuko more firebending, explaining to him new skils that may yet prove useful in the days to come, and trying to appease the destitute prince of the Fire nation. For those three days hardly a word had been spoken between the two outside of training, and at night Iroh had sensed that the young prince left for the nearby village with an unkown intent.

For those three days the vigil of the young man and Zukos training had taxed Irohs strength, for one of them was unable to see the conflict that separated him from his true strength and the other bordered on the land of the dead. That all changed on the third night, when the young man began to trash about in pain.

The young man screamed in great pain and trashed violently, taking both Zuko and Irohs combined strength to finally restrain him until he could finally calm down enough to restrain himself.

When the young man had finally settled down he had tried to speak, but no words would come from him, and Iroh had tried to give him water slowly, only to have the young man spit it out because he was unprepared for the liquid. Iroh tried talking to the young man, and he seemed to understand what he was saying for he then drank more slowly and in short sips.

Soon the young man was able to talk and Iroh breathed out a sigh he did not know he had, but once the young man began to talk a new worry came to Iroh, for he was speaking in a tongue he had never heard before in his many travels, and looked at Zuko, who looked at him in confusion as well.

It seemed that the young man understood that he could not communicate with them, but instead of talking more to them to try and find some solution, he simply closed his eyes. For several moments Iroh and Zuko where confused, for they had no idea what was going through the young man head or why he would do such a strange action, and then they felt it.

Zuko and Iroh looked at each other as if trying to read each others mind, as they felt that their minds where moving without their conscious control. Iroh felt as if he was speaking in his own mind at baffling speed, he could not understand what he was saying, for it made no sense, or at least not at the beginning. Eventually it started making more sense, the words aligned themselves and then phrases started forming, yet they made no sense or at least not for Iroh, and just as he was finally making sense of the words they stopped and the young man opened his eyes, and spoke.

"I'm sorry for the discomfort" said the young man in nice and sincere tone "I didn't mean to intrude in your thoughts, but it was necessary"

Iroh looked at the young man astonished, just moment prior he had been unable to even talk to them, and now he could speak with them, as if he had known the language his whole life. But then he looked at Zuko, and saw that it may become a more complicated manner.

"You, you, dare to enter our minds and then just try to brush it off!" said Zuko as he pointed a finger at the young mans face with anger. "I don't know how you did it, but don't do it again ever! Hear me!" finished Zuko close to the young mans face.

"Zuko! That's enough!" yelled Iroh, angry at Zuko, not because he was truly wrong, but because again he failed to understand what had truly happened.

Zuko looked at his Uncle with his head down and spoke "I'm sorry Uncle" was Zukos only answer. But then he sent a glare at the young man, who looked ashamed and sad.

Iroh took notice of the young mans distress and decided to intervene "don't worry about Zuko young man, he has been stressed of late, he is not as bad as he seems" said Iroh alluding to his nephews much calmer and unfortunately downbeat attitude in the past few weeks. In truth this was the first time in a while that the old prince Zuko he had become due to the Avatar had resurface.

"I know" said the young man also sad, and spoke again before any more arguments could be said "I didn't mean to, but I felt his inner turmoil while I learned your language"

Zuko looked at the young manand with some pain in his face spoke "I have no inner turmoil, you don't understand" said Zuko and simply left, yet both of them saw and knew what the young prince was going through.

"Once again I apologize for my nephew, he is still adjusting to our new situation" said Iroh, while bowing down to the young man.

"You don't seem angry, may I ask why?"

Iroh looked at the young man and smiled. "I am not sure what it was you did, but I understand why you did it young man, that is quite a talent you have there" said Iroh with true humor and happiness.

At the word talent, the young man looked away once again, and Iroh sensed that he had said something wrong. Iroh was searching for the right words, but the young man saved him the trouble.

"It wasn't enough" said the young am with pain in his voice, and Iroh felt the terrible pain going through the young man. "I should have been strong enough, I wasn't" finished the young man and Iroh felt yet more pain from the young man.

"I'm sorry, without knowing I have caused you pain, it was not my intention" said Iroh very formally and sincerely.

"I'm sorry too, you where trying to make me feel better and I said unkind words, please forgive me" said the young man, as he turned to look at Iroh with tears in his eyes.

Iroh then realized that this young man was filled with great pain and suffering, controlled only through great effort and a great force of will. Iroh smiled upon the young man and ruffled his hair as a parent would a child "it's alright young man, why don't we start again? Can I please know your name?"

"Anakin, Anakin Solo" said the young man, feeling a type of warm that he had not felt in a long time, not since he had been far younger, and his father had been a different person. Still this old mans touch did not feel wrong, it felt comfortable and warm, like his father.

"Anakin, eh? That's an unusual name" said the Iroh with some laughter laughing in a friendly manner. "Very well young Anakin, my name is Iroh, and my young nephew is prince Zuko" said Iroh as he gesture towards his now gone nephew.

"Prince?" asked Anakin as he looked at Iroh, confusion written all over his face.

"Yes, my son is a vanished prince, but don't tell Zuko I said that ok" said the old man as he got closer to Anakin's head whispering a secret.

"Ok, I won't tell, ough!" said Anakin but a great pain came over him. "It would…seem I am…not yet ah!...fully healed" commented Anakin and looked over to Iron with pain in his face.

"I have done all that I know for you, but your injuries are too extensive" said Iroh as he got up to get a new rag with water for Anakin and placed it over his head. "It will take some time for you to fully heal and regain your strength. Get some sleep, we will speak more in the morning" said Iroh as he looked at Anakin with worry.

Anakin knew that Iroh was right, he had been unable to fully heal, and while he was asleep as he got to this place, he had been unable to enter a healing trance and use the force to cure his maimed body. "Ok, thanks" where Anakin's last words as he entered the healing trance, and appeared to be sleeping.

"Good night youn Anakin, sweet dreams" said Iroh and he too took his place near the cave they had settled down at and began to wonder what the future may hold.

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Anakin focused his mind and opened himself to the force and prepared to enter the healing trance. However before he entered the healing trance one final vision appeared before him.

The flames he had seen before intermingled and fought amongst themselves, but then world went dark and the red flames where extinguished. For a moment the rest of the multi-colored flames seemed to gain the upper hand in the battle, only for them to be captured once the light returned and the fire of the red flames was reignited.

Anakin looked at the light in the distance and wondered what had happened, only to see a second light approaching fast, and as it passed he wondered what it meant. But as he returned his gaze towards the colored flame he saw the red flames bigger than he had ever seen them before, save for the light he had followed earlier when his world had returned to light, and at the same time he felt hatred, anger and power the likes he had not felt since Exar'Kun had returned from the dead.

And with this image in his minds eye Anakin entered the half awareness, half sleep of the healing trance.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction. All of it belongs to Nickelodeon and George Lucas respectively.

**Notes: **There have been no new reviews since my last publication, for which I am a little disappointed, as I enjoy reading what others think of my work.

However I will anyways continue on with this story, as I find that I enjoy the way I have it shaped up to be.

**Bender of the Force**

**Revelations and Confrontations Part 1**

Iroh woke up the next morning and smelled fruit nearby. Getting up from the patch of hay where he had fallen asleep he looked at the cave he was living in for the moment and quickly found the fruit he smelled. Melons, apples, oranges and other assortments of fruits lay nearby piled up haphazardly one over the other.

Not far away was Zuko sound asleep. "_Probably went on another secret expedition_" though Iroh and stepped closer to the pile of fruits, and watching a particularly appetizing apple he picked it up and took a bite, while looking at the rest of the cave.

Something was amiss, Anakin was not where he had left him the day before, the strange metal object that he and Zuko had found him with was also gone, and Iroh became worried. Someone in Anakin's position should not even be awake; he was barely able to move the day before. However upon closer inspection of the place where he had been left the day before it suddenly became clear that there had been no struggle to move, the ground was not moved in the way a person dragging himself would leave it.

Iroh wondered what had happened and began to worry, what could have possibly happened to him? Had someone come at night and taken him without being noticed? No Iroh concluded, impossible, only he and Zuko even knew of him as far as he was aware, why would anyone even bother to come to this remote cave?

Finding no answers just looking at a patch of dirt Iroh decided to get away from the cave, he figured if Anakin had somehow gotten up, he wouldn't be far away from the cave, after all he was gravely injured, so Iroh got out of the cave and sure enough there was Anakin.

Anakin was seated cross legged in what Iroh could only conclude was a meditating position, and Iroh decided to get closer, yet as he approached something began to feel different, and Iroh could not describe the exact feeling he was having, or at least not until the first rock began to float around Anakin. Iroh was surprised, not because of the rock floating, he had seen many earth benders do it before, but rather he did not feel the surge of energy normally associated with bending, much less the typical stances needed for even such a basic move.

Iroh stood there fascinated by what was happening, observing as the single rock moved to a position nearby, and it was then that he was truly surprised.

In his many travels around the world Iroh had seen all the bending styles, or at the very least the great majority of them. He had seen the water benders of the north build great villages out of a river. Seen the earth benders take plain dirt and build great monuments or simply move the very earth they stepped on. He had even seen the secrets of fire bending, and met the people who had originally been able to fire bend. But never had he seen the wood of the forest move around a person, as if gravity did not exist.

Around Anakin rocks, and wood moved as if alive, creating shapes or otherwise simply moving, yet there wasn't even the gusts of air he had come to know from when the Avatar levitated objects with his air bending, no this objects defied his typical explanations. The he saw it, Anakin's strange metal tube began to float directly in front of him and all the other objects shaped themselves around him, rocks over rocks and wood over wood, ins natural facsimiles to his own strange metal tube in front of him.

Then all of the other objects began to spin once again in a small circle not far from Anakin, and with a motion almost too fast for even Iroh to observe Anakin got up from his seated position, grabbed the strange metal objects and launched himself against the small circle of now falling wood and rock.

Once again Iroh was amazed at what happened, from the metal tube a longer tube of blue energy appeared and in swift and controlled movements Anakin rapidly and precisely cut and slashed the falling rocks, and despite there being over a dozen objects all of them where sliced at least twice and in some cases even more. Iroh was truly astonished.

When it ended Anakin made the blue blade disappear and turned to look at Iroh. "Thanks again for taking care of me master Iroh" said Anakin looking straight at Iroh.

For a few second Iroh did not know how to answer, what he had seen was not normal, it wasn't any type of bending he knew of and yet it was like bending, plus the speed, grace and agility of this young man was simply astonishing to Iroh. However Iroh soon got over his sense of wonder and answered back "no problem young Anakin. What you did was most impressive" mentioned Iroh with a smile on his face and looking very impressed.

"It was nothing, just a training exercise" explained Anakin as he walked to Iroh. "Though I have never tried it in such a complicated way, I wasn't sure I could really control so many objects so precisely" commented Anakin as he strapped the metal tube to his hip holster, and stood in front of Iroh.

"I must still say, never in all my travels have I seen anything so creative" said Iroh with a smile at Anakin, but then he looked at the metal tube. "But tell me Anakin, what is that metal tube you have? And what was that blue light I just saw?"

Anakin looked at his lightsaber somewhat surprised, he was so used to everyone knowing what it was, that he never thought anyone would ask what it was, he hadn't realized that these people may not even know what it represented. Anakin believed that anyone seeing it would recognize it and not ask about it, for they knew exactly what it represented, but now he had to answer.

"This is a lightsaber" said Anakin and lighted it up with the typical snap-hizz associated with it. The blue blade hummed in front of Anakin, and he felt the sense of wonder coming from Iroh, so clear it was almost funny. "This is the weapon of a Jedi, a symbol of courage, honor and sacrifice"

As he said those words however he began to remember the mission to Myrkr, and wondered what had happened to them, what was going on out there in the galaxy. He also began to wonder about his sister, his brother, and Tahiri, how heart broken they might be at him leaving them and he looked to the ground in sadness and guilt.

Iroh felt that saying those words brought bad memories for the young man in front of him, and decided to try and cheer him up. "It's alright young man, you don't have to explain anything if you don't feel like it" said Iroh and put a hand on the Anakin's shoulder.

"Thanks again" said Anakin looking up once more at Iroh and how he could calm him without really trying. But Anakin realized that he was only placing his problems on hold and not facing them as he should.

"Where are you Uncle?!" yelled Zuko as he finally woke up. Once Zuko got out of the cave he finally saw Iroh and Zuko and stormed to where they stood.

"Well good morning prince Zuko" said Iroh in cheerful voice.

"Hmm" said Zuko as he got closer to his uncle.

"Now, now Zuko, that's not nice, come, let me introduce you to Anakin" said Iroh as he pointed to Anakin, who looked at Zuko somewhat surprised at the prince's face. "Now Zuko, this is Anakin" said Iroh and gestured towards Anakin. "And this young Anakin is my nephew Zuko" said Iroh as he stood behind Zuko with his hands over Zuko's shoulders.

"Are you crazy Uncle, giving our names away so easily!!. Have you even considered he might be a spy for Azula!" ranted Zuko in a very angry tone.

"Zuko, he is not a spy for Azula, I can assure you. In fact I don't think he even knows where he is" said Iroh to Zuko, and then turned to look at Anakin, who simply stood there listening to the conversation. "Like us prince Zuko he has been banished, please understand"

"Very well Uncle" said Zuko in a somewhat defeated tone. "Excuse me" said Zuko as he went to leave.

Iroh looked at the young prince as he left and wondered not for the first time, where the young prince was going.

"He is very troubled, isn't he?" said Anakin surprising Iroh.

"Yes, he has gone through great troubles lately. But he is not a bad person, he is just confused" conceded Iroh as he began to ponder about his nephew.

"I'll go after him" said Anakin and began to move before Iroh could stop him, wondering what would come from such a rash action.

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Silently Anakin followed Zuko as he made his way through the forest. A long time of evading capture and creatures, plus his training while in the shadow academy taught him many ways of concealing himself and passing through difficult places. As he followed Zuko Anakin wondered why he had done it.

In truth he realized he wasn't really sure, something inside him told him that he had to watch this young man, if for no other reason, then because he owed it to Iroh who had helped him and tried to understand him.

As Zuko moved further, he began looking all around him, trying to see if someone was following him. With a gentle nudge Anakin persuaded him otherwise, and continued to follow Zuko, who stopped in front of a tree and kneeled to its base. There he retrieved a mask, blue in color and with the face of what Anakin could only describe as a demon, but at the same time reminded him of a Yuuzhan Vong face.

Zuko put on his mask and began to run, and Anakin followed. Though Zuko moved fast and effortlessly through the woods Anakin had no trouble following him, and before long they arrived at a nearby village.

This village reminded him a little of what Tatooine, from the holostills and holovids he had seen from his uncle Luke, the major difference where the numerous agricultural gardens located all around the city, very differently from Tatooine which would have been unable to sustain that type of agricultural practice without specialized equipment.

The structures and the general layout of the village however where very similar to the images he had seen from the planet. There where other differences however, the roofs of the village where more like elevated rooftops as opposed to the completely flat ones in Tatooine, and other small architectural differences where found every now and then , but otherwise it was full of similarities.

As Zuko got closer to the village he began to roam the rooftops of the village, and Anakin followed him not far from him. Zuko looked from place to place, observing the movement of the villagers, but otherwise doing nothing, or at least not immediately.

Soon however Zuko fell from the rooftops to the streets, and for a few second Anakin did not know what had happened, but then he came back up again, and he had far more than he had gone down with. Anakin realized then what Zuko was doing and why he had needed the mask.

Quickly following Zuko as he moved away from the village, Anakin raced to get ahead of him, and as they left the village Anakin caught up to him. "I would have expected a prince to act with more honor" said Anakin with his hand crossed as he looked at Zuko.

Zuko turned to look at Anakin, for a few moments nothing was said as the air rushed by slowly. "You wouldn't understand" exclaimed Zuko as he turned to face Anakin.

"I think I can try" said Anakin still with his hands crossed in front of him.

"You wouldn't know" said Zuko as he grabbed his loot and made for the forest, only to see how Anakin run and incredibly fast stood in front of him.

"What makes you think you are the only one who is suffering?" asked Anakin as he saw Zuko leave the loot on the ground. "Have you stopped to consider what your uncle may be thinking? Feeling?" asked Anakin and felt the anger in Zuko rise.

"SHUT UP!! WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW? WHY WOULD YOU CARE?" Yelled Zuko and took out his twin swords preparing for a fight.

Anakin was most definitely not ready for a fight, he hadn't finished healing and was in no real shape to face a well prepared opponent at this point. Yes he had done some of the exercises and the healing trance had helped, but he was still too bruised to fight an opponent as he sensed in Zuko. "I don't wish to fight Zuko" said Anakin. Normally he wouldn't be worried about fighting an opponent, no matter how powerful they where, he had after all faced even the Yuuzhan Vong warriors and defeated hundreds of them, and he couldn't sense them in the force.

However he knew that he shouldn't fight Zuko. His uncle had shown him kindness and to betray that trust that had been given so easily was not right, yet here was Zuko with his twin swords drawn and ready to strike, and he knew he was going to have to betray Iroh's trust in order to do the right thing and alleviate Iroh's worries.

Anakin placed his hand on his lightsaber, but as soon as his hand was on its hilt he stopped. Using such a weapon would be dangerous for Zuko, and while it would be very fast it would also leave him without weapons for the future. Anakin knew that Zuko could de very well without weapons, he sensed it from his posture and the way he handled himself, but weapons would considerably enhance the chances of his future, so he decided not to use his lightsaber.

Instead Anakin adopted a more regular fighting form. After perusing the many holocrons his uncle Luke and many others in the new Jedi order had been able to accumulate, he had studied a number of Jedi hand-to-hand techniques that did not require lightsabers or weapons. Although he was by no means a master of these techniques he trusted the force to guide his moves, and opening himself to its power he relaxed and assumed his stance.

Zuko attacked as soon as he sensed that Anakin was ready to fight, and Anakin recognized that Zuko was at least that honorable, but his attacks where relentless. Fuelled by rage, anger and a raw desire to surpass any obstacle Zuko moved his swords fast and precisely, and only Anakin's force senses and force enhanced movements where allowing him to move beyond their reach, for his body ached with every motion.

Zuko attacked high with one of his swords and Anakin moved backwards sensing the second sword moving towards him. He tried to attack Zuko with a counter punch, but Zuko proved too agile and not only moved out of the way of the counter, but also made a side wipe at Anakin as he moved around him.

Anakin moved from side to side, trying to use any openings in Zuko's technique, but he was a very skilled swordsman, moving his swords one after the other and alternating the direction and tempo of his strikes, forcing Anakin to move from side to side and avoid his deadly swords.

Once again Anakin touched the handle of his lightsaber, it would be very easy to force Zuko to surrender just by cutting his swords with one swipe of his own powerful blade, but again that feeling that he should not use his main weapon came back at him and he simply jumped back avoiding Zuko and placing some distance between himself and the powerful fighter.

Anakin gasped, he was out of shape, and his body was aching with pain, clearly he was not yet fully healed. The fight had moved near the forests now and Zuko stopped for a second observing his opponent "I thought you would be stronger. I guess I was wrong" said Zuko, ready for anything his opponent might try.

Anakin could not really blame him, he had not underestimated Zuko, but he realized that at this moment he had the upper hand, and though he knew that Zuko would not kill him, he would not leave without a victory. Anakin planned other wise and began to concentrate, he possessed more abilities than just his fighting abilities and he planned to use them to defeat Zuko and bring him peacefully to his uncle.

From behind Zuko several rocks began to move, and Zuko saw them from his peripheral vision, turning in surprise to see as the rocks hovered behind.

"Huh" where Zuko's only words as the rocks moved towards him, and managed to deflect a couple of them before Anakin came in, just as fast as when he had caught up with him before and delivered a severe blow to his head, and Zuko stammered to the floor.

"You're and earth bender" said Zuko before he passed from the force of the blow, and Anakin got close to him, limping as his body ached even more due to the stress.

"No, I'm a Jedi" said Anakin as he gathered Zuko and his swords and headed for the forest cave deep in the woods.

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Iroh sensed the young man and his nephew approaching, and quickly got up to meet them. What he saw was far from what he was expecting however.

Zuko was on top of Anakin's back, and Anakin was carrying him with sweat pouring from his brow due to the exhaustion. Iroh quickly moved to help the young man.

"What happened?" asked Iroh as he got Zuko's left hand over his own shoulder.

Anakin had debated during the whole trip what to say to Iroh when he found him. He thought about lying, but realized that it would be too risky, and then considered telling the truth. He realized that either answer would have weighted on him, and as a Jedi he was bound to be an upholder of the truth, though he realized that he may have to hurt Iroh's feeling about his nephew when the revealed the truth.

"Zuko and I fought" said Anakin, and Iroh was surprised, but did not talk. "I saw him steal from the nearby village, and decided to stop him" said Anakin as they let Zuko down on the ground and gathered near the fire.

"I see" said Iroh, once he was seated, and began to look the fire, clearly worried about the revealed events.

"I'm sorry, I know that you hardly know me at this point, but I had to stop what he was doing" said Anakin, also looking at the fire, worried how this might affect the relationship that he was beginning to develop in this unknown world. Many times before his recklessness had caused a great deal of trouble for him back home, and he believed that after all that had passed during the Yuuzhan Vong war had taught him something of self control, but he seemed to be wrong yet again.

Then the events of the war began to replay in his head, the death of Chewbacca, his father's grief and anger at him for leaving his friend. The struggles they had suffered, his conflicts with his brothers, he began to think of what was happening back home, he hadn't been here for more than a few days and he was worried about his family back in the place he called home, would he be able to got back? He wondered and as his mind wondered about so many troubles, he almost missed Iroh's response.

"I suspected as much from my nephew. He is brash and quick to react, and he is not used to the type of life we are living right now" said Iroh in a low and sad tone. "He is not a bad man, but he is not ready to accept our situation just yet"

Anakin looked at Iroh, astonished at the words of the old man. He had felt that this man was filled with a great deal of knowledge and wisdom, just like his uncle Luke. "I really didn't want to hurt him, but I also couldn't accept what he was doing in good conscience" said Anakin still looking down at the fire.

Suddenly, Anakin doubled in pain, his wounds where hurting him again, and Anakin saw Iroh get up from his place near the flame. "Are you ok young man?" asked Iroh cautiously getting close to Anakin, who was still wrought with pain.

"Ye-Yes…" said Anakin through gasps of breath. "I'll be okay tomorrow… I- ahh… need to-ahh … meditate..."

"Are you sure, you don't look so good" commented Iroh, who helped Anakin to a the nearby wall so he could rest.

"Yeah-ah ah… I'll be all-ahhh… right tomorrow, please-ahh… forgive me" said Anakin finally as he finally collapsed.

"You don't need to apologize young man, and neither does Zuko" said Iroh as he got Anakin into a better resting position. "I will take care of you both one way or another" said Iroh as he also got Zuko in a resting position and stood by the fire, as he watched the two young men sleep, and wondered what the future would bring.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction. All of it belongs to Nickelodeon and George Lucas respectively.

**Bender of the Force**

**Revelations and Confrontations Part 2**

Zuko woke up, feeling his head exploding. He tried to open his eyes, but the light coming from the entrance of the cavern made it difficult to open them completely. "_What happened to me?_" thought Zuko, and immediately he remembered.

He fought Anakin, the young man they had found where his uncle had seen the strange light while they wandered. He had been winning the battle, and was assured of his victory, until Anakin started earth bending behind him. He thought he would be able to deflect the rocks and then face Anakin, but Anakin had been too fast for him, he moved with great speed as he earth bended and hit him in the head so hard he passed out.

"_Uggh, no wonder I have a head ache_" thought Zuko, and tried to sit up, grabbing his head in his hands and trying to get rid of the splitting head ache that was consuming him.

For a few minutes Zuko did not really move, but as the headache receded he began to observe his surroundings. He was back at the cave, he realized, he looked at his side and saw his uncle sleeping over a small sleeping sack, and further from him there was Anakin.

At seeing Anakin, Zuko was filled with raw fury, here this man, no older than he himself had come out of nowhere, befriended his uncle, and decided to stop him from what he was doing in order to regain some of the life style he had lost.

Without second thought Zuko got up from the sleeping bag where had been slleping, grabbed his swords and plunged into Anakin.

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Anakin was in the half-sleep half-awake state of the healing trance. In this state every sensation, even time was difficult to determine. He had entered the healing trance as he was loosing consciousness, and began to use the force to heal himself, finding it particularly easy to use in this place, wherever it was, as if the force was stronger here than anywhere else he had ever been.

For a moment he felt the touch of his uncle Luke, mixed with the way his own father felt, it was a strange feeling. A presence that felt like the wise and centered being his uncle was and at the same time had the gentleness that only his father could display towards him, when he was putting him to bed so many years before.

He also felt the nature surrounding him, it was hard to describe, for it felt more than usual, yet he couldn't really feel it like he felt everything when he was awake, and at the same time it felt also very different, a type of feeling he had never had.

Anakin remembered how his brother had always had a good understanding of nature, how he was so easily capable of knowing how the universe moved. He missed his brother, he missed everyone. He had not been in this place for more than a few days and he was worried.

He couldn't really place the reason for this feeling of loss he had been feeling for the past days, but it was undeniable now, something was not right, and yet everything was right. These two feelings where in conflict, he didn't really understand why he felt them and yet he knew that both of them where correct.

Then there where the people he had recently met, Iroh and Zuko, he wasn't sure why, but he knew that they would play an important role in events yet to come, but what he wasn't sure. Iroh seemed to be a centered and caring person, but Zuko was a sea of anger that he could only partially relate to.

When he had brushed their minds he had seen glimpses of their respective pasts, more feelings than images really, but very powerful and ever present. In Zuko he felt something he himself had been feeling since Chewbacca was killed during the battle of Sernpidal, a feeling of loss, and a deep separation that had happened between himself and his father, a bridge that had only recently been repaired, but that had also been lost when he had been transported to this planet.

He felt that a similar event had happened between Zuko and his father, and in that sense he began to understand the young man. He also felt that there was far more to Zuko's rage than just this loss, there where deeper scars that he had felt, but that where buried under layers of rage, deep meditation, and duty, foundations that had been shaken recently as well.

As he continued to meditate on these issues he felt a great and powerful red shadow, a light becoming an inferno, one that felt very close, too close for comfort, and with a snap of his eyes he woke up, and scrambled out of his bed, just as a blade was about to slice him in half.

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Zuko thought he would be able to get Anakin for his defeat, his actions had cut too deep into Zuko and he was angry, angry like he had not been in a long time, and most of the inhibitions he normally had regarding people where forgotten, and there was only his sword and Anakin's body.

Yet he had been robbed of that. Just before his blade pierced Anakin's body, Anakin scrambled of the sleeping cot on which he had been just a second ago. Zuko looked at Anakin with a great amount of hatred, this young man had come to his life just recently and he had taken it upon himself to be self-righteous without understanding what Zuko had been through.

This was what had Zuko the most riled up, Anakin had decided that Zuko was wrong in what he did, and decided to police him, what did he know about what he had been through? What could he possibly understand of his situation?

Taking his sword of the ground Zuko prepared for another assault on Anakin, and stroke with fury and rage, while Anakin scrambled away from his sword.

"Zuko, calm down, we don't have to fight" said Anakin, as he got up and prepared to defend himself from the maddened prince.

"Shut up, what could you possibly understand of me? How dare you become so self-righteous with me without even knowing me?" said Zuko in only slightly controlled anger as he glared at Anakin.

Anakin felt Zuko through the force, he was a sea of anger, fury and confusion. He felt that Zuko knew deep down that his actions where not honorable, but that he was justified in them. He also knew that Zuko was ready to strike at Anakin with deadly force.

Suddenly Zuko lunged once more towards Anakin, but he was stopped by a powerful hand, that came far faster and with more strength than a body of that size should really allow.

Iroh had his nephews hand in a powerful grip, while Zuko glared at his uncle.

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Iroh had heard his nephew wake up, and watched him as he forced himself to stand up, and try to relieve his head ache. He remembered what Anakin had said, and what had been confirmed about his nephew.

On a personal level it was nice to regain some of the possessions they had lost when they had been exiled. His new tea set was very beautiful and artistic, but he knew that it was only a material possession, so he really did not need it, however nice it was.

Iroh remembered the difficult times they had had recently, the long journey since their exile, the search for the Avatar. The chase through the world, the many fights along the way, the enemies they had made and the friends they had left behind, their banishment and Azula.

Iroh realized that his nephew was indeed very upset with the world at the moment, and that his mind was passing through a great turmoil, as he reconciles the events with the past, with the present situation and the future self that he might yet become.

His nephew Iroh knew very well was a good person at heart, prideful, honorable and strong. However he had been heavily indoctrinated by his father and recent events to be something he was not, a cold blooded dictator, a cruel ruler and a sadistic individual, like the way most of the fire nation was at the moment.

That was the really sad part. Iroh knew that there was great strength in his people, but it had been misdirected for over a hundred years, and there seemed to be no awakening for them any time soon. The fire nation was powerful and it had greatly expanded itself, but in doing so had alienated the whole world and created a monster that Iroh knew needed to be stopped.

Had he ascended to the throne he would have ended the war. Too much blood had been spilled by way too many people to even fathom, and no more was necessary. The point of the superiority of the fire nation that fire lord Sozin had wanted to make to the world had long since been made clear, and a war of extermination and genocide could only end with the fire nation alone, and probably on its way to its own destruction, for such indoctrination could not continue with the power hungry government that existed at this moment.

However his cruel and evil brother had managed to usurp his throne. He accepted, for the reasons appeared to be valid, and there was no evidence connecting their fathers death to his brother Ozai, and for a time he had been content to simply watch, for everything was in place and running smoothly, and he could work within the system to try and correct it.

However now he had been banished along with his nephew, he was being hunted by his psychopathic niece, and he had a prince that was currently very disturbed, a prince who may yet have a very important part to play in events to come, and now there was another young man.

Anakin, whom he had met less than a week ago had just managed to surprise him, by revealing a power he didn't know about, a power he felt would also play a great part in the story that was unfolding, and by in a single act antagonizing his nephew into a murderous rage.

He had suspected of Zuko's activities, and had planned to speak to him, and appeal to the Zuko he knew was the true self of his nephew, but now it may prove to be more difficult.

Iroh sensed some movement from his nephew, and saw him lunge for his sword, and quickly strike at Anakin. Iroh believed that Anakin would die, and that an innocent mans life would be on his nephew's hands. Fortunately that did not come to pass.

Once again surprising Iroh, Anakin had scrambled for safety before Zuko could deliver a mortal blow and now the two young men where in a stand-off, waiting for the next move. He heard as the two young men debated for a few seconds, and sensed when as the next strike was to come. Moving far faster than even he himself believed he could he grabbed his nephews arm, stopping him in mid-lunge.

Iroh glared at Zuko, stopping him from committing a fatal mistake, while his nephew glared back at him in return. "Zuko!! What do you think you're doing?!" yelled Iroh as he held of his nephews arm.

Zuko removed his hand from his uncle's grip, and turned to glare directly at his uncle. "Uncle, he is an earth bender spy, I saw him with my eyes earth bending" yelled Zuko at his uncle as his uncle glared back at him.

"He is not an earth bender Zuko" said Iroh in a clear and firm voice, forcing the young man to back down, but Zuko was also very stubborn, and refused to back down.

"No, but he was tossing rocks at me. He might even be a spy, or a bounty hunter, trying to take the money for our heads" yelled Zuko getting closer to his uncles face, and not backing down.

Iroh observed his nephew. The confusion that he believed was causing his nephew so many problems was indeed that source of his nephews mistrust and his uncontrolled anger. He let out a sigh and looked at Zuko with a sad face. "Zuko, Anakin here isn't even from this world, he is no earth bender, or a bender for that matter. I don't know what he is, I haven't had the time to learn yet from our young friend, but he is not an earth bender, or a spy or a bounty hunter" said Iroh trying to a peace his nephew. "What he is, is a lost soul, who is true to his beliefs and acted in an honorable way by stopping you from doing more dishonorable acts"

Zuko heard his uncle's words. He lowered his head in shame at his actions. "I only did that, to give us a better life" said Zuko turning his head as he spoke of his shame. "We are royalty, we deserve much more than what we have at the moment" continued Zuko, but the more he said that the more shame he felt.

Zuko looked at Anakin, who looked at him with sadness, and got closer to him. Zuko felt Anakin's hand on his shoulder and heard him speak. "Zuko, I know how you feel, I felt it when I touched your mind. It is not very different than the weight I have been carrying since the death of a good friend of mine" said Anakin as tears began to well in his eyes.

"I know, what it feels to loose the love of your father. I know what it feels to plunge yourself so deep in your work, that you don't deal with the problem. I know how it can drive you to try and get redemption in their eyes and how it can twist you into something you are not" said Anakin as even more tears welled up in his eyes, as he relieved all those moments that felt so far away, yet still so painful. "Zuko, I know how you feel, I know that you think your life is hard right now, but what you where doing would only give you grief in the future" said Anakin as he looked straight at Zuko, who looked at Anakin dumbfounded.

Iroh listened to the young Solo, and saw the truth he was trying to get across his foolish nephew. "Zuko, what Anakin is saying is true, we are in a difficult situation right now yes. But that is no reason to fell shame. We have a decent life, and though thing seem to have no solution, we can still have a decent life"

"What is the point of a simple life if we can't restore what was ours" said Zuko defeated.

"You must never loose hope Zuko, everything always resolves itself, but we must also work to make it happen" said Anakin, hoping that Zuko would understand his reasoning.

Zuko thought about what the two present where saying, and left his swords hit the ground. "I must leave, be alone and think" said Zuko, and he made to leave the cave.

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As Zuko left it was only Anakin and Iroh in the cave. "He is very disturbed at the moment, he might leave on his own" said Anakin as he looked at Iroh.

"I know" said Iroh in a sad tone. "But he must find his own way, and deal with his problems on his own, we can counsel him, but we cannot make his choices for him"

Anakin and Iroh continued to look as Zuko left, and realized that his journey and theirs had only just begun.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Avatar or Star Wars or any material related to them that is mentioned in this fiction. All of it belongs to Nickelodeon and George Lucas respectively.

**Bender of the Force**

**Battles and Explanations**

Iroh and Anakin walked through the woods, as they had been doing so for the past several days, following Zuko, after he had decided to take his own road following their argument.

Anakin had meditated a great deal on Zuko's last words however, as he felt he now had a great responsibility.

"Please take care of my uncle" said Zuko just before he left on his own journey, and the reason why Anakin and Iroh where now following him.

"You have been restless these past few days young man" said Iroh, as they walked through a particularly thick part of the woods. "Is there something bothering you?" asked Iroh feeling the downbeat mood of Anakin, a feeling he had seen on the young man ever since his nephew had decided to venture out on his own.

Anakin looked at Iroh, his head still bothered by the present situation he had caused to this man and his nephew. As he looked at Iroh, he realized even more how much this situation just felt like his fault, after all he had arrived at an unknown planet, and this man and his nephew had taken him in, despite the situation they themselves had on their hands.

To make matters worse he had had a vision just prior to waking up. He knew that the vision was very important, not only to his own future, but also to the future of this world, yet he had not been able to interpret the meaning of the vision. He felt frustrated and confused, realizing he had a part to play in the events that where developing, and at the same time he could not really understand what was happening, and then there was his home.

He had left in the middle of a war, in the middle of a terrible confrontation, one that included many of his friends, and close ones, a suicide mission many had called it, and for the thousand time he was wondering how they where doing, what had been of them. The more he thought about them the more his heart felt heavy with pain, and his present situation did not help at all.

"Yes, Master Iroh," began Anakin, looking down, with sadness in his face. "When I left my home, I left my friend in grave danger. I don't know what has become of them, and I fear for what may have happened to them. Plus I have caused a breach between you and your nephew, who took me in and helped when you didn't have to. I feel that lately I have been less than helpful, and have only been a burden."

Iroh looked at Anakin, and realized the pain the young man was feeling. He felt he had betrayed the trust of his friends and the trust of those who had taken him in, and that pain was causing him to suffer needlessly, at least on one front mused Iroh. "Young man, don't worry about me and Zuko. Zuko is passing through a difficult time right now, and I believe that being alone for a while may be better for him" said Iroh, attempting to cheer Anakin's spirits.

Anakin looked at Iroh, and felt a little better thanks to the old man, but he still felt restless. "Thank you Iroh, but I feel that I am not the only one who is lonely or saddened. You must miss Zuko too, don't you?"

"Yes, and that is why I am following him, I must be there to catch him when he falls, so that he can make good on the rest of his life" said Iroh as he looked at the forest where they had been passing through. Suddenly Iroh felt that he needed to know more about Anakin, if only to satisfy his curiosity, and also so that he could in some way help him cope with his problems.

"Since we are being so sincere with each other young Anakin, why don't you tell me what was this danger you and your friends where in, that you spoke. Perhaps that would help you feel better" offered Iroh with a smile on his face.

Anakin wasn't sure he felt good enough to relay the story of the war where he had lost his greatest caretaker, where the galaxy was being consumed by almost invisible darkness, and his friends and family where being hunted for who they where. He really didn't feel good enough to talk about his anguish at the moment, and he realized that may be a mistake, but his emotions and his logic where in conflict at the moment, and that it may yet be a while before he was ready to let go of that burden if ever.

All of a sudden however Anakin's senses where on high alert, they where being observed, he could feel them as they moved, five, no more. Anakin felt as several figures moved through the surrounding forest, as they observed him and Iroh.

Iroh for his part appeared oblivious, still focused on Anakin, attempting to get an answer that would not come, for Anakin did not felt adequate at the moment to answer the old mans inquiries, yet he knew the old man needed and answer. "I am sorry master Iroh, but I don't feel that right now is the time to speak of my past" said Anakin, just as he started looking around, trying to get a more precise perception of their assailants.

"What is it young man?" asked Iroh as he saw Anakin's previous behavior change.

"We are being surrounded" said Anakin in almost a whisper, and he assumed a fighting stance.

Iroh then felt the presence of the ones surrounding them, he had not been a well respected general in his part for not being alert, and although lately he was more relaxed than he normally would, constant danger had honed his ability to perceive danger. But Anakin's perception astounded Iroh, he himself was a war veteran, with many battles under his belt, and though age had dulled his senses, he remained sharp and capable. Yet Anakin had clearly felt these assailants long before him, and that mistake nearly cost him his life.

From the surrounding trees came several arrows, each from a different direction all aimed at Iroh, and Iroh could have sworn that he would not live to see his nephew another time. Yet the arrows never reached him, they where simply standing in mid-air, not moving, and just as suddenly as they had been stopped they had fallen through the ground.

Iroh looked at Anakin, who had simply extended his hand, and apparently had reached to the Arrows and stopped them without any effort at all. Iroh then observed as twenty men came from all around them, each with a vicious look on his face, and all of them armed with different types of weapons, from daggers, to heavy axes, and they all looked ready to kill.

The apparent leader of the group stepped forward, brandishing his two heavy axes in front of him, by far the largest man in the group. He was easily over two meters tall, with large broad shoulders and well developed chest bulging with muscles from far too much time training. He had a large beard and a scar in the bridge of his nose, and looked by far the most evil of the bunch, but his eyes spoke of a deep cunning, and well trained in his profession.

The man spoke with a deep, and resounding voice. "Nice trick there young man he he he" laughed the leader as he positioned himself in what Iroh knew was an earth bending move. "But it won't save you from all of us. RIGHT BOYS!!" yelled the man, clearly rousing his group for the easy picking they saw in front of them.

Immediately the whole group roused up in a chorus of screams and yelling, whistling and mockery at Iroh nad Anakin, who where by now back-to-back, and preparing for an attack at any moment.

"I wouldn't try that if I where you" warned Anakin, and placed his hand on his lightsaber, as he looked at all of his opponents and opened himself to the force. Just as it had happened many times before, and very differently from his struggles with the Yuuzhan Vong who did not exist in the force, Anakin felt everything around him, and felt through the force every move of their opponents, and prepared himself for the moment when he would be force to fight, he itched for it, all his rage and frustration was being now harnessed for the purpose of defending himself and Iroh.

"Ha ha ha, and what are you going to do boy. Punch us with your little fists" said the large man, as he readied himself for an attack. "Or are you to scared to do anything, and have to cower behind that old fart at your back".

Anakin was more than ready to finish this man for everything he had said, he had failed his friends in the not so distant past. But he would not fail now, he would do as Zuko had told him and he would look after Zuko's uncle, and these men where clearly in the way of that.

"You know young man, why don't we all just sit down for a nice cup of tea. It is a great way to appease flaring tempers" said Iroh as he looked at the men around them, and for a second looked back at Anakin, winking an eye to him. "Tea is best enjoyed when it is very hot, and nothing says so better than a good camp fire, wouldn't you agree my friend?" said Iroh to the leader, with a big wide smile.

"Ha, the only tea you will taste will be the one I smack into your face" said the man, as he placed his axes in front of him, clearly his patience at an end.

"That's too bad, I was sure we would have made such good friends" said Iroh, and Anakin then felt a surge in the force. It felt hot, like burning flames, but he could see no fire, but he could feel a powerful fire, just be hind him.

"Yeah you would have made a good friend" said the giant man with pure mockery. "A GOOD FRIEND OF THE DIRT" said the giant man, in a nearly deafening tone, and in a quick motion sent a rock from the ground straight at Iroh.

Iroh in an instant surprised Anakin, and in a single instant he realized what that fire he had felt had come from. It had been Iroh, who had sent a fist at the rock, and from his hand fire had come and blasted the rock.

Anakin was surprised by what had just happened. The giant man had moved the ground from under his very feet and sent it straight at Iroh, and Iroh had answered by sending a burst of fire at the rock simply smashing it. He was puzzled for a moment, and he felt the same puzzlement from the men around him, who looked at what had happened with astonishment.

"A fire bender" said the giant in an astonished tone. For a second it was all quiet, but just as fast as it had begun the noise came back, and the giant man spoke again. "Get them boys" said the giant man, and as one the mass of thugs came at Anakin and Iroh.

Anakin felt that the time was right to act, so as the thugs came at him, he activated his lightsaber, and with the typical snap-hizz and the typical hummm of the blade as it glowed silently Anakin fell on the mob that came in at him.

Upon seeing the strange blade, there was a moment of hesitation among the thugs, who had never seen anything like it. But like any evil and amoral person, they soon recovered, and began to attack Anakin. Those who could earth bend gathered stones, and threw them at Anakin, those who had bows aimed at Anakin and shot off their arrows, the rest of them came at him with swords and other assorted hand held weapons.

The thugs thought it would be an easy victory, and that they would get to enjoy of their loot with very little trouble. But they where very wrong, just as soon as the first arrows came near Anakin, they saw the blade move with almost unnatural precision, cutting the arrows in half as if they weren't even there, and to their even greater astonishment the blade of light sliced all the rocks that where sent at it just as easily as the arrows.

The thugs who where closer to Anakin as he shortened the distance hesitated, and placed their weapons in a defensive position, hoping that this would slow down the incoming warrior, who continued to evade and cut anything that came near him.

Anakin flew through the arrows and the rocks being sent at him. He felt the trajectories of the rocks and the arrows through the force, and with little effort either evaded the projectiles or sliced them into little pieces with his lightsaber, which went unimpeded against the barrage of makeshift projectiles. Anakin saw the more close combat oriented thugs stop for a second and raise their weapons nervously, as he approached, and with a huge leap he went into the air.

In mid air he turned to face the six thugs who were surprised at the height of his jump, and with a small amount of concentration created a force blast, that sent the thugs flying in all directions.

Anakin then landed and concentrated on the archers and the strange people who could move the earth at will. With a small movement of his wrist aimed at the archers he snapped their wooden bows, and left them weaponless, and he ran towards the ones throwing rock at him.

One of the two men moving rocks mad a large leap, and when he fell on to the ground once again it split under Anakin's feet. Had he not had the force to guide him, or the extensive training he had had since very little he might have fallen unto the newly built crack in the earth. However Anakin saw the move, and quickly regained his footing on one side of the new canyon.

Meanwhile he saw the second one punch the earth with his fists, and take two large rocks into the air, and with a simple motion sent them flying at Anakin. Anakin saw the rocks flying at him, and deflected their path in mid air with swing of his hand, and with a push of his hand in the man's direction he force pushed him into a tree, knocking him unconscious from the impact.

Meanwhile, the first earth mover sent a wave of earth in his direction, to which Anakin simply jumped high into the air. But his opponent was apparently not as inexperienced as his other companion, and immediately sent a large rock in Anakin's direction.

Anakin felt the rock, and moved his body in mid-air, and using his lightsaber he sliced the rock sent at him, just as he fell closing in on his attacker. However after the first rock more came, and Anakin arced his lightsaber, slicing every rock sent at him, and the onslaught was enough to sent him back a few steps.

Suddenly the attack stopped, and the Anakin saw the man, as he moved his stance, and began to elevate his hands with great effort. As the man did this, a wall of earth rose from the ground, and it moved fast towards Anakin.

Anakin saw the wall of earth rise up from the ground, and immediately shut off his lightsaber, and focused on the force, pushing the wall of earth back. To anyone watching the battle it would have looked as if Anakin was earth bending, as it seemed like a tug of war between the two for the wall of earth that was moving back and forth between the two combatants. But the contest was over in a second, as Anakin pushed with the force, and made a hole in the middle of the wall of earth, and quickly leapt through it, rapidly gaining on his confused adversary, who didn't react fast enough to Anakin's move, and was quickly felled by an unseen force, that left him unconscious at the bottom of a tree.

During this time the rest of the bandits, had recovered and where moving enraged towards Anakin with their weapons drawn. But as they got close, an unexpected force took all of their weapons away from them, leaving them unarmed against a dangerous opponent, and like all thugs when they are unarmed, and against a superior enemy they scrambled.

Anakin saw as they left scrambling over one another in an almost comical fashion, and he felt their fear and panic. For a few seconds he saw them, but quickly recovered, as he turned to look where Iroh was fighting the other ten bandits, and making a good job of fending them off with the fire he was producing.

Anakin scrambled to aid Iroh, and ran so fast, that he caught the bandits, and Iroh by full surprise, as he launched himself on the leader, who was barely able to place his axes in a defensive stance before Anakin's lightsaber made contact with the axes, slicing through them as if they didn't even exist.

The leader of the bandits looked astonished as his weapons where cut in half without any effort at all, and at the bright blade that had done the job. However instead of running like the other group of bandits, the large man went for Anakin in a blind rage, trying to catch him and kill him.

This effort ended in failure, as Anakin extended his hand, and sent a force blast that sent the giant man flying towards a tree, toppling it over, due to the force of the impact. The rest of the bandits and Iroh looked at this event with astonishment, disbelief and fear, for here was a boy, who had almost casually disarmed their leader, and simply tossed him aside, as easily as if he was bending any element.

Without a second thought the rest of the bandits got their leader from the tree where he was slumped, and ran as fast as their legs allowed them to.

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Iroh looked at Anakin in awe and wonder, he knew that Anakin was strong and that he had great power, but never had he thought that he was an air bender, for surely only an air bender could have tossed a man with such strength without any apparent mean. "That was amazing young man"

Anakin looked at Iroh, with a grin on his face. It was the first time in weeks that he felt good with himself, his previous doubts and insecurities forgotten for the moment, as he realized that he had been able to protect someone. "Not really" he said scratching his head.

Iroh laughed whole heartedly, as he saw the young man and his strange antics. "Sure it was, I never would have expected you to be an air bender" said Iroh, and the more he pondered about it, it all made sense, how he had been able to move the different objects around him, his incredible speed, and to an extent his foreknowledge of the attack.

Anakin stopped grinning, and looked puzzled at Iroh's comment, and decided to ask. "Excuse me Iroh, but what is an air bender?" asked Anakin, very confused by Iroh's comment.

Iroh looked at Anakin, with near disbelief. Here he thought he had learned something about the strange boy, and now it appeared as if he himself was unaware of what he was. Iroh calmed down and looked at Anakin a little more seriously than before. "What you just did was air bending, wasn't it? I mean, tossing that man without even touching him, you did that by bending the air didn't you?"

Anakin looked confused now, he wasn't sure what to answer, Iroh was making no sense to him, what did he mean by bending the air? What did he mean by bending in general? Didn't he know about the force? How could he not know if that was what he had used to create that fire, he had felt it hadn't he?

The more Anakin asked these question, the least he was sure what was going on, he wasn't really sure what Iroh was saying, so he decided to answer Iroh as best he could. "I don't know what you mean Master Iroh, I didn't move the air, what I did was simply move his body through the force" answered Anakin, and immediately Iroh's face was as full of confusion as his own.

"The force? What is this force you're talking about young man? It is your chi, you used is it not?" asked Iroh attempting to decipher the riddle, when suddenly the trees around them seemed to move, and both of them looked worriedly at the forest.

"Perhaps we should move to a different location" commented Anakin.

"Good Idea" said Iroh as he gathered his belongings, and made to leave through the road ahead of them. But as he was preparing to leave, he saw Anakin pick up one of the swords from the bandits he had fought, and this intrigued Iroh.

Before long the two companions had left the battle area, and where once again moving on.

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Later that night Iroh and Anakin where sitting close to a camp fire, not far away from where they had last seen Zuko only a few hours ago. Iroh brewed his tea, and passed a cup to Anakin, who thanked the olde man for his kindness, and it was at that moment when Iroh decided to continue their previous discussion.

"So young man, mind telling this old man how it was that you sent that giant of a man flying away" asked Iroh in a lighthearted and friendly tone.

Anakin looked at Iroh, and considered his proposition. He thought "_If he is going to ask me about the force, I might as well ask him about this bending._" And with that he decided to answer the old man. "I will tell you, but I would also like to ask about this bending you spoke of, I have never heard of anything similar in the many travels and adventures I've had" said Anakin, as he got into a better position closer to the fire.

"Fair enough young man" said Iroh, as he straightened himself to better listen to Anakin.

"What I did" said Anakin. "Was push that man through the force" said Anakin, as simple and clear as if he thought Iroh would understand from just sentence.

"And what exactly is this force you keep speaking of?" asked Iroh as he stroke his beard and thought hard on everything he could possibly remember regarding this force Anakin was speaking of. "In my many travels I have never ever heard of this "force" you speak of" said Iroh in a matter of fact tone.

Anakin wasn't sure how to answer to that. The one who was really good with the philosophy related to the force was his brother Jacen. Anakin was a more direct and hands-on person, and his brother was the one with the answers to this kind of question. So he did the best he could, and tried to remember the teachings of his uncle Luke.

"The force" began Anakin. "Is an energy field that exists around everything. It exists in the rocks, in the water, in the air, in nature, and of course in all living beings humans included" said Anakin, and he concentrated, and lifted a rock to try and prove his point, followed by lifting a small branch from the ground. "Sentient beings are in a state of symbiosis with extremely small beings, that we call midiclorians. These small beings can talk to this energy fields, and with enough training we can talk to the midiclorians and through this mutual talk, we can use this field for many things" explained Anakin, with an attentive Iroh hearing every word.

"Very interesting young man, I have never heard of anything quite like you describe" said Iroh as he pondered on what Anakin had said. "It is very different from what we have come to know regarding the bending arts."

Upon hearing the word bending, Anakin looked at Iroh with large inquisitive eyes. Sure his brother Jacen was the one who knew more about philosophy, and such matters, but recently Anakin had come to think hard about the nature of the force, and he knew he was very close to finding the answer he had searched for for a long time.

Iroh knew from Anakin's gaze, that he would have to elaborate on his answer, and so he did. "We have come to learn, that humans have great amounts of power in themselves. This power is internal, and spiritual, but with the appropriate mental, physical and spiritual balance we can let this power flow from us, and use it to bend the elements to our will" in order to prove his point, Iroh made a few small motions with his hands, and produced a flame on his palm. However the flame did not disappear, it did not extinguish itself, and Iroh extended it for a few seconds into a bright towering inferno, only to let it disappear, just as fast as it had appeared.

"However, those who have this balance can only manipulate one element at a time, and no other. Only the Avatar can control all four elements at will" said Iroh.

Suddenly Anakin saw the vision again. This time however the multi-colored flame was static, and the blue-red flame that radiated evil approached, and the two appeared to dance, only to be joined by another red flame, and all three flames danced amongst themselves, and soon some more flames joined the dance.

There where two red flames, one green flame, one light blue flame, one blue-red flame, and the multi-colored flame, the more he watched the spectacle the more he came to realize that this was exactly what Iroh was referring to. Each single flame was one bender, a person who could manipulate the elements, and the multi-colored flame must be the Avatar, the only one who could control all the elements.

Anakin was brought out of his trance by Iroh shaking him lightly and talking to him. "Are you alright young man?" asked Iroh concerned.

Anakin quickly recovered himself, and realized what had happened. "Yeah, sorry this happens every so often" said Anakin trying to remember clearly the images, but it was hard to picture them. Only two things where clear from the vision. One he would have to search for the Avatar, and two that the green flame was somehow important.

Iroh quickly got back to his place and relaxed. "What did you see young man?" asked Iroh, while a stunned Anakin looked at the grinning old man.

Anakin was surprised by the knowledge of the old man. How could he have known that he had had a vision? Did he really know that he had a vision at all, or was it just pure guess? More answers than questions rang in Anakin's head, but Anakin decided to not reveal anything he didn't have to. "I don't know what you're talking about, I just passed out. I must be more tired than I thought" said Anakin and faked a yawn, hoping the old man would buy his act.

Iroh looked at Anakin with a grin on his face, but said nothing, and simply went to his sleeping bag, and went to bed for the night.

Anakin did not know what to think of what had happened. Why had he been so cheerful at the end? Why hadn't he said anything if he knew? Again more questions than answers, and Anakin was finally feeling as tired as he had pretended to be. Putting out the fire, Anakin went to sleep, but he looked at the old man, not sure how to gauge him, but knowing, he was far more knowledgeable than he let on.

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The next day Anakin and Iroh continued their walk amongst the forest. Fortunately no more bandits had approached them since the confrontation the day before, which both of them supposed was good. However the mood between the two of them was not as well.

Anakin still worried about the words that Iroh had spoken, and was still puzzled by his knowledge of his vision. However he could not bring himself to bring up the subject.

For the next few hours both of them simply continued following Zuko's trail through the forest, which seemed to mirror a pair of tracks that had been made not very long ago, but that none of them could really tell what had made them. Only that whatever it was, was big and heavy.

Again Anakin felt a presence behind them. But unlike the bandits this one felt strangely and worriedly similar to one he used to know, and for a few seconds he was inclined to investigate. Yet his more cautious side won over his more emotional side, and he forced a somewhat bewildered Iroh to step behind a rock.

"What is going on young Anakin, what do you feel?" asked Iroh in a quiet tone.

Anakin was hunched behind the rock, his hand on his new sword, ready to draw it if necessary. "I am not sure master Iroh. I feel a presence approaching us, but I am not sure what to make of it" answered Anakin in the same quiet tone, while he debate over what to do surged ever more in his mind.

Time passed slowly for the two of them, who where just waiting for the presence to pass. And slowly even Iroh began to feel the presence of the approaching stranger, as he got closer.

Both of them where quiet and still as the presence neared their stone. They felt as the presence stopped not far away from their hiding place, and Anakin tightened his grip on his sword, and just as he was about to launch himself to the unknown figure, his body was lamed into the ground.

Anakin and Iroh where sore from the sudden fall to the ground, when the mysterious presence jumped over the rock they had been using as a cover. There on top of the rock was a young girl, no older than twelve or thirteen years old, with her feet completely uncovered, a yellow/brown tunic and her hair made in sort of ball over her head.

As Anakin looked at the young girl images began to swarm his mind, feelings of a presence he never thought he would feel again, one that sent pain to his heart and joy at the same time. But the most important image was that of the girl encased in a green flame.

**TBC**


End file.
